Dominica Languages
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Description
English is the official language of Dominica and is universally spoken and understood.
In addition, Dominican Creole, an Antillean Creole based on French, is widely spoken. This is due to French migration to the island starting in 1690. A majority French Creole speaking population reside on the island.
Along with Creole, a dialect known as Kokoy (or Cockoy) is spoken. It is a type of pidgin English which is a mix of Leeward Island English Creole and Dominican Creole, and is mainly spoken in the north-eastern villages of Marigot and Wesley. [1]
Kwéyòl , known locally as Patwa, is a sub-variety of Antillean Creole, and like other varieties spoken in the Caribbean, it combines the syntax of African language origins and a vocabulary primarily derived from French. [2]
Word List(s)
- Kweyol Language - words and phrases
- Kweyol Language - flashcards
- Dominican Creole Simple Phrases (Dominica Weekly)
Alphabet and Pronunciation
Alphabet [3]
| Créole | IPA
Transcription
|
Standard pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| g | g | hard G like in Garage |
| h | h | use like in Ham |
| i | i | Pronounced like "ee" as in see |
| j | ʒ | Pronounced as french J. |
| k | k | Replaces hard "C", "Qu". K as in Kick |
| w | w | W replaces R in some words derived from French, but in Creole, they are two different letters. |
| s | s | Replaces the soft "C" and pronounced like "S" in Soft |
| y | j | pronounced like "Yuh" as in Yuck |
| z | z | Replaces "S" when used between vowels, and pronounced as in Zebra |
| an | ɑ̃ | nasalized sound used in French. Does not exist in English |
| àn | an | Pronounced as a not nasalized sound with an emphasis on the "N" "ane" in English |
| ann | ɑ̃n | an nasalised French "an" with long "n" sound "Pronounced like "anne". |
| anm | ɑ̃m | an nasalised French "an" with long "m" sound "Pronounced like "ahmm". |
| ay | aj | Pronounced as "eye" in English |
| in | in | Never nasalised. |
| en | ɛ̃ | Always nasalised |
| enn | Pronounced as in Garden | |
| on | ɔ̃ | Sound does not exist in English. It is a nasal on as used in French. |
| onm | ɔ̃m | Nasal sound + M. |
| onn | ɔ̃n | Nasal sound + N. |
| ch | ʃ | Pronounced as "Sh" in English |
| a | pronounced as a short a as in Cat | |
| b | Pronounced as B en English | |
| f | Pronounced as F in English | |
| d | Pronounced as D in English Like Dog | |
| m | Pronounced as M in English Like Man. | |
| n | Pronounced as N in English Like Never | |
| Ò | Pronounced as "Or" as in More | |
| R | Often replaced by W in beginnings of words, but pronounced as Racquet | |
| P | Pronounced as in Pea | |
| T | Pronounced as in Tea | |
| V | Pronounced as in Volcano | |
| W | Pronounced as in Water |
Numbers [4]
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1 000 000 = yon milyon | 1 000 000 000 = yon milya |
- 1 234 = yon mil + dé san + twantkat
- 30 153 = twant mil + san + senkantwa
- 412 489 = (kat san douz) mil + kat san + katwèvennèf
- 12 356 734 = (douz) milyon + (twa san+senkantsis) mil + sèt san+twantkat
Ordinal
- 1st = pwémyè
- 2nd = dézyènm
- 3rd = twazyènm
- 4th = katriyènm
- 5th = senkyènm
- 6th = sizyènm (Notice the second "s" in "sis" is pronounced as a "z")
- 7th = sètyènm
- 8th = wityènm
- 9th = nèvyènm (Notice the "f" in "nèf" is pronounced as a "v")
- All the other numbers are formed like this: Number + [yènm]
Language Aids and Dictionaries
Language Aids
- Kweyol Language - A look at typical Kweyol words and phrases used in Dominica (avirtualdominica.com)
- The Kwéyòl Writing System
Dictionaries
- Crosbie, Paul and David Frank. Kweýol̀ dictionary. Castries, Saint Lucia: Ministry of Education, Government of Saint Lucia, 2001. Available at: WorldCat.
- Fontaine, Marcel. Dominica's diksyonnè : Kwéyòl-Annglé = Dominica's English-Creole dictionary. Cave Hill, Barbados: The Folk Research Institute, 1991. Available at: WorldCat.
Online Dictionaries
- Kwéyòl Dictionary (Webonary)
- Kweýol̀ dictionary (SIL)
Additional Resources
- Amastae, Jon Edward. Dominican creole phonology. Ann Arbor, Mich: Xerox University Microfilms, 1975. Available at: WorldCat.
- Paugh, Amy Lynn and Bambi B Schieffelin. Creole day is every day": Language socialization, shift, and ideologies. n.p.: New York University, 2001. Available at: WorldCat.
- Amastae, Jon Edward. Dominican creole phonology. Ann Arbor, Mich: Xerox University Microfilms, 1975. Available at: WorldCat.
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Dominica," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominica#Languages, accessed 22 March 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Saint Lucian Creole," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucian_Creole, accessed 22 March 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Dominican Creole French," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Creole_French#Kwéyòl alphabet, accessed 22 March 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Dominican Creole French," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Creole_French#Numbers, accessed 22 March 2021.